Kayden Troff

Troff grew up in West Jordan, Utah, with his parents Kim and Daniel, sister Brynndi, and brothers Jeremy and Zachary Troff.{{cite web|url=http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,695233560,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071209111215/http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,695233560,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 9, 2007 |title=Chess champ a ripe ol' 9 |publisher=Deseret News |date=2007-12-07 |accessdate=2012-01-05}} He is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and served a mission in Australia.{{cite web |last1=Gifford |first1=Kelly |title=Utah chess prodigy aims for national title, Mormon mission |url=https://apnews.com/general-news-3172a4014ed346feafae73dede242159 |website=apnews.com |publisher=Associated Press |access-date=February 8, 2025 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250208005301/https://apnews.com/general-news-3172a4014ed346feafae73dede242159 |archive-date=February 8, 2025 |date=July 14, 2017 |url-status=live}}

He first demonstrated chess ability at the age of three, having learned to play by watching his father.{{cite web|url=http://kaydensstory.blogspot.com/ |title=Kayden's Story |publisher=Kaydensstory.blogspot.com |date=2004-02-26 |accessdate=2012-01-05}}{{cite web|url=http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,695233560,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071209111215/http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,695233560,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 9, 2007|work=Deseret News |title= Chess champ a ripe ol' 9 |date=2007-12-07|accessdate=2009-02-04|last=Whitney|first=Susan}} When Troff turned six, he spent a week training with Grandmaster Igor Ivanov.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thechurchnews.com/archive/2009-11-14/chess-champ-states-top-player-is-an-11-year-old-mormon-boy-34575|title=LDS Church News - Chess champ: State's top player is an 11-year-old Mormon boy|website=Church News|date=14 November 2009 |access-date=2016-07-05}} He has also been trained by Melikset Khachiyan and Alexander Chernin.

Troff first won a Utah State Elementary Championship at the age of six and won first place in his section in the Utah State Elementary Championship each year after.{{cite web|url=http://www.utahchess.com/Misc%20Documents/2006_Champions.htm|title=2006 Utah Chess Champions|publisher=www.utahchess.com|accessdate=2009-02-04|archive-date=April 20, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090420042807/http://www.utahchess.com/Misc%20Documents/2006_Champions.htm|url-status=dead}}

In December 2007, he was named to the United States Chess Federation's 2008 All-America Chess Team; and at age 10, he was named in the 2010 All-America Chess Team, an honor described as "one of the highest national honors attainable by a young chess player".{{cite news | last = Stettler| first = Jeremiah| title = Nine-year-old chess phenom chosen for 2008 All-American Team| publisher = The Salt Lake Tribune| date = 2007-11-30| url = http://susanpolgar.blogspot.com/2007/11/kayden-troff-earned-all-american-honor.html| accessdate = 2009-02-04}} On December 14, 2008, he won second place at the fifth-grade level at the National K–12 Championships.{{cite web|url=http://www.alchess.com/chess/08/k12/?page=WINNERS&xsection=5|title=2008 National K-12 Championship Orlando, Florida|accessdate=2009-02-17}}{{cite web|url=http://www.fox13now.com/news/kstu-story-ten-year-old-wins-speed-chess-title,0,5664174.story|title=Ten-Year-Old West Jordan Boy Wins Utah Speed Chess Championship Title|publisher=Fox News/KSTU-TV|date=2009-02-01|accessdate=2009-02-17|last=Murguia|first=Maria}}{{Dead link|date=April 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

In 2009, Troff won the Utah Speed Chess Championship{{cite web|url=http://www.uschess.org/msa/XtblMain.php?200901246871.0 |title=USCF MSA – Cross Table for UTAH SPEED CHAMPIONSHIP (Event 200901246871) |publisher=Uschess.org |date= |accessdate=2012-01-05}} at age ten, becoming the youngest player to win that event.{{cite web|url=http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=5425411|title=ksl.com – 10-year-old making splash in the chess world|publisher=www.ksl.com|date=2009-01-26|accessdate=2009-02-04|last=Bruce|first=Becky}} This was followed up by becoming Utah G/60 Champion, the youngest player to do so.{{cite web|url=http://www.uschess.org/msa/XtblMain.php?200903144711.0 |title=USCF MSA – Cross Table for UTAH GAME/60 (Event 200903144711) |publisher=Uschess.org |date= |accessdate=2012-01-05}}{{cite web|url=http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=5867188|last=Butterfield|first=Amanda|title=10-Year Old Wins State Chess Championship|publisher=KSL News/KSL.com|date=2009-03-16}} After this win, the tournament director dubbed him "Utah's Mozart of Chess."{{cite web|url=http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,705291313,00.html?pg=2|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090419092645/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,705291313,00.html?pg=2|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 19, 2009|last=Leonard|first=Wendy|title=Utah Chess King is just 10 years old|publisher=Deseret News|date=2009-03-16}} He also won the 2009 North American Youth Championship for under-12s in Mazatlán.{{cite web|author=Confederación De Ajedrez Para América |url=http://www.fideamerica.com/htmltonuke.php?filnavn=2009/octubre/Festival_Norteamerica_de_la_Juventud.htm |title=Confederación De Ajedrez Para América |publisher=Fideamerica.com |date= |accessdate=2012-01-05}}{{cite web |url=http://www.akronchessclub.com/blog/ |title=Akron Chess Club, Largest Northeastern Ohio Chess Club, Learn about Chess, Study Chess Canton Chess, Cleveland Chess |publisher=Akronchessclub.com |date= |accessdate=2012-01-05 |archive-date=September 8, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090908215803/http://www.akronchessclub.com/blog/ |url-status=dead }}

Troff's quick rating was the highest of all US players under the age of 13, according to the Top 100 rating list published by the USCF from June 2009 through October 2010.{{cite web|url=http://main.uschess.org/component/option,com_top_players/Itemid,371?op=list&month=0906&f=13Q&h=Top%20Quick%20Under%20Age%2013 |title=The United States Chess Federation |publisher=Main.uschess.org |date=2009-06-13 |accessdate=2012-01-05}} In May 2010, he defeated Harold Stevens, Utah's then-highest-rated player, in a match, winning all three games. In October 2010, he won the Utah Open tournament.

Troff won the world championship for ages 14 and under in Maribor, Slovenia, in 2012.

He also won the silver medal for ages 12 and under at the World Youth Chess Championships in Greece in 2010, behind future grandmaster Wei Yi.

Having already obtained the three GM Norms needed, he reached 2500 Elo rating to earn the Grandmaster title at the Saint Louis Invitational in May 2014, at age 16.[http://saintlouischessclub.org/news/2014-06-03/sevian-homa-earn-norms-saint-louis Saint Louis Invitational, Troff earns GM Title http://saintlouischessclub.org/news/2014-06-03/sevian-homa-earn-norms-saint-louis] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20140605131358/http://saintlouischessclub.org/news/2014-06-03/sevian-homa-earn-norms-saint-louis |date=2014-06-05 }}

In June 2014, Troff became US Junior Chess Champion, scoring 7/9 points.US Chess Championships Official Page http://uschesschamps.com/

In June 2023, Troff began streaming chess gameplay on Twitch under the name ChessSharkz.{{Citation |title=ChessSharkz - Twitch |url=https://www.twitch.tv/chesssharkz |access-date=2024-02-05}}

{{reflist}}

• {{FIDE}}
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20180328071705/https://www.chess.com/member/KaydenTroff Kayden Troff] member profile at Chess.com (archived)
• [http://main.uschess.org/component/option,com_wrapper/Itemid,181/ United States Chess Federation ratings (enter Troff into search box)]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20090419002047/http://extras.sltrib.com/tribphoto/gallery.asp?ID=79807&GID=Daily&Pubdate=2007-12-01 The Salt Lake Tribune Today in Photos feature on Kayden Troff]

{{American chess grandmasters}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Troff, Kayden}}

Category:1998 births

Category:Living people

Category:Chess Grandmasters

Category:American chess players

Category:People from West Jordan, Utah

Category:People from Murray, Utah

Category:American Twitch (service) streamers